NASA Moon mission: When does Artemis 2 launch? Date, timeline, crew and what to expect

The countdown for NASA's Artemis II mission has officially begun at Kennedy Space Center, targeting a Wednesday, April 1 launch. This historic test flight will send the first crewed SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft into space. Engineers are powering up systems and preparing for cryogenic fueling, while the four-person crew remains in quarantine, focused on readiness.